Kahlan was surprised that she could get so much power into the shout. Cara glanced back over her shoulder. Tommy Lancaster’s hands went to his throat and he gasped for air when she rose up to stand over him. “Cara, stop it. Where’s Richard? Richard may need your help.”
Cara leaned down over Tommy Lancaster, pressed her Agiel to his chest, and gave it a twist. His left leg kicked out once, his arms flopped to the side, and he went still.
Before either Cara or Kahlan could say anything, Richard, his face set in cold ferocity, sprinted up toward the carriage. He had his sword to hand. The blade was dark and wet.
The instant Kahlan saw his sword, she comprehended what had awakened her. The sound had been the Sword of Truth announcing its arrival in the evening air. In her sleep, her subconscious recognized the unique ring of steel made by the Sword of Truth when it was drawn, and she instinctively grasped the danger that that sound represented.
On his way to Kahlan’s side, Richard only glanced at the lifeless body at Cara’s feet.
“Are you all right?”
Kahlan nodded. “Fine.” Belatedly, yet feeling triumphant at the accomplishment, she pulled her arm free of the blanket.
Richard turned to Cara. “Anyone else come up the road?”
“No. Just this one.” She gestured with her Agiel toward the knife on the ground. “He intended to cut the Mother Confessor’s throat.”
If Tommy Lancaster hadn’t already been dead, Richard’s glare would have finished him. “I hope you didn’t make it easy on him.”
“No, Lord Rahl. He regretted his last vile act—I made certain of it.”
With his sword, Richard indicated the surrounding area. “Stay here and keep your eyes open. I’m sure we got them all, but I’m going to check just to be certain no one else was holding back and trying to surprise us from another direction.”
“No one will get near the Mother Confessor, Lord Rahl.”
Dust rose in the gloomy light when he gave a reassuring pat to the shoulder of one of the two horses standing in their harnesses. “Soon as I get back, I want to get going. We should have enough moon—for a few hours, anyway. I know a safe place to make camp about four hours up the road. That will get us a good distance away from all this.”
He pointed with his sword. “Drag his body past the brush over there and roll him off the edge, down into the ravine. I’d just as soon the bodies weren’t found until after we’re long gone and far away. Probably only the animals will ever find them way out here, but I don’t want to take any chances.”
Cara snatched a fistful of Tommy Lancaster’s hair. “With pleasure.” He was stocky, but the weight gave her no difficulty.
Richard trotted soundlessly off into the gathering darkness. Kahlan listened to the sound of the body scraping across the ground. She heard small branches snapping as Cara pulled the dead weight through the brush, and then the muffled thuds and tumbling scree as Tommy Lancaster’s body rolled and bounced down a steep slope. It was a long time before Kahlan heard the final thump at the bottom of the ravine.
Cara ambled back to the side of the carriage. “Everything all right with you?” She casually pulled off her armored gloves.
Kahlan blinked at the woman. “Cara, he nearly had me.”
Cara flicked her long blond braid back over her shoulder as she scanned the surrounding area. “No he didn’t. I was standing right there behind him the whole time. I was nearly breathing down his neck. I never took my eyes from his knife. He had no chance to harm you.” She met Kahlan’s gaze. “Surely, you must have seen me.”
“No, I didn’t.”
“Oh. I thought you saw me.” Looking a little sheepish, she tucked most of the cuffs of the gloves behind her belt and folded the rest down over the front. “I guess maybe you were too low in the carriage to see me there behind him. I had my attention on him. I didn’t mean to let him frighten
Cara leaned down over Tommy Lancaster, pressed her Agiel to his chest, and gave it a twist. His left leg kicked out once, his arms flopped to the side, and he went still.
Before either Cara or Kahlan could say anything, Richard, his face set in cold ferocity, sprinted up toward the carriage. He had his sword to hand. The blade was dark and wet.
The instant Kahlan saw his sword, she comprehended what had awakened her. The sound had been the Sword of Truth announcing its arrival in the evening air. In her sleep, her subconscious recognized the unique ring of steel made by the Sword of Truth when it was drawn, and she instinctively grasped the danger that that sound represented.
On his way to Kahlan’s side, Richard only glanced at the lifeless body at Cara’s feet.
“Are you all right?”
Kahlan nodded. “Fine.” Belatedly, yet feeling triumphant at the accomplishment, she pulled her arm free of the blanket.
Richard turned to Cara. “Anyone else come up the road?”
“No. Just this one.” She gestured with her Agiel toward the knife on the ground. “He intended to cut the Mother Confessor’s throat.”
If Tommy Lancaster hadn’t already been dead, Richard’s glare would have finished him. “I hope you didn’t make it easy on him.”
“No, Lord Rahl. He regretted his last vile act—I made certain of it.”
With his sword, Richard indicated the surrounding area. “Stay here and keep your eyes open. I’m sure we got them all, but I’m going to check just to be certain no one else was holding back and trying to surprise us from another direction.”
“No one will get near the Mother Confessor, Lord Rahl.”
Dust rose in the gloomy light when he gave a reassuring pat to the shoulder of one of the two horses standing in their harnesses. “Soon as I get back, I want to get going. We should have enough moon—for a few hours, anyway. I know a safe place to make camp about four hours up the road. That will get us a good distance away from all this.”
He pointed with his sword. “Drag his body past the brush over there and roll him off the edge, down into the ravine. I’d just as soon the bodies weren’t found until after we’re long gone and far away. Probably only the animals will ever find them way out here, but I don’t want to take any chances.”
Cara snatched a fistful of Tommy Lancaster’s hair. “With pleasure.” He was stocky, but the weight gave her no difficulty.
Richard trotted soundlessly off into the gathering darkness. Kahlan listened to the sound of the body scraping across the ground. She heard small branches snapping as Cara pulled the dead weight through the brush, and then the muffled thuds and tumbling scree as Tommy Lancaster’s body rolled and bounced down a steep slope. It was a long time before Kahlan heard the final thump at the bottom of the ravine.
Cara ambled back to the side of the carriage. “Everything all right with you?” She casually pulled off her armored gloves.
Kahlan blinked at the woman. “Cara, he nearly had me.”
Cara flicked her long blond braid back over her shoulder as she scanned the surrounding area. “No he didn’t. I was standing right there behind him the whole time. I was nearly breathing down his neck. I never took my eyes from his knife. He had no chance to harm you.” She met Kahlan’s gaze. “Surely, you must have seen me.”
“No, I didn’t.”
“Oh. I thought you saw me.” Looking a little sheepish, she tucked most of the cuffs of the gloves behind her belt and folded the rest down over the front. “I guess maybe you were too low in the carriage to see me there behind him. I had my attention on him. I didn’t mean to let him frighten
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